Process of producing copper, lead, or iron vanadate from vanadiferous ores.



W. P. BLEECKER.

PBOGESB OP PBODUCING COPPER, LEAD, OB. IRON VANADATB FROM VANADIPEROUS OBES.

APPLIATION FILED APR.21, 1909.

1,015,469. A Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN F. BLEECKEB, 0F BOULDER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOB, BY MEBNE SIGN- KENTS, TO vTHE BABE IETAIB MINING A ND HILLING COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION 0F COLORADO.

PROCESS OF PBODUCING COPPER, LEAD, OB IIBON VANADATE FROM VANADIFEBOUS DRES.'

1,015,169. speculation of man me Patented Jan. 23,1912.

Application med April 21, 1909. serial In. 491,341.

To all whom it may matter after havin been mixed with a flux Beit known that I, WARREN F. Bmnoxnn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Boulder. in the county of Boulder and State of Coloradofhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Copper, Iron, or Lead Vanadate from Vanadif rous Orcs, of which the following is a speci cation. f

This invention relates to the process of producing copper, iron or lead vanadate from vanadiferous ores and it has for its object to expeditiously effect a clean separation of the vanadium constituents o ore from the extraneous matter with wlmh they are associated and to transform said constituets into insoluble copper, lead or iron vanadate by precipitation with the respective metal. It should be observed that vanadates other than those mentioned may be produced by the same process, but they are of minor importance and of but little commercial -value, and inasmuch as the method of production is the same in each instance with the exce tion of the substitution of one metallic su stance for ,the other, the process as explained in the following description will relate exclusively to that employed in the production of insoluble copper vanadate.

To facilitate description, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which the various steps comprised in the process are diagrammatically represented and in which- Figure 1, shows successively, the various actions by which the copper vanadate is roduced from the vanadiferous ores and ig. 2, the steps included in the preferred method of leaching.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that the process includes two general act-ions, viz z-A, the production of an approximately neutral vanadium solution and B, the precipitation of the said solution with the metallic substance, in this instance copper which united with the vanadiumV elements of the solution, produces an insoluble copper vanadate, whlle the alkali salts and other impurities remain in solution to be' subsequently drawn oil. The first actionA, is performed in four successivesteps, viz a-pulverization of the ore to a sultable degrec of fineness; b-roastingthe pulverous to render the Jvana ium constituents thereof soluble after roasting; c-leaching the product of the roasting process to obtain a solution of alkali vanadate or vanadyl salts and d--treating the products of the preceding steps to obtain a neutral vanadium solution. The pulverlzationr of the ore may be accomplished by the use of any suitable apparatus and the subsequent roasting process may be performed in a furnace either of the closed or open type in which the pulverized matter is heated to a little above redness and maintained in that state for at least fifteen minutes. The flux by which the vanadium constituents of the ore under treatment are rendered soluble after roasting, is composed of sodium chlorid and a fixed alkali such as potassium hydroxid, sodium hydroxid, potassium carbonate or sodium carbonate preference being given to .the first named substance, and this flux being mixed with the pulverous ore either before or during the roasting process, causes the vanadium constituents of the ore to be transformed into alkali vanadates.

The leaching process (c in Fig. 1) is preferably carried on as is shown in Fig. 2. The product of the roaster is first leached with water (c1) either in a dead leaching tank or in an agitation tank, with the result that the soluble aklali vanadates are dissolved. The rich liquor (alkaline solution) is now led to storage tanks, and the resldue is again leached (c2) but this time with a dilute min eral acid (such as hydrochloric) for the purse of dissolving such vanadates as were Vinsoluble in water. The residue of the leaching process is now practically free from vanadium and the products of the waterleach (alkaline solution) and of the acidleach (vanadyl salts) are now mixed (cs) to roduce a neutral solution. It will be un 'erstood that either one or the other of the steps c1 and c may be omitted and a neutral solution obtained either by the treatment of the alkaline solution with acid or of the acid solution with alkali and that should the Solutions produced by the steps c1 and c2 be unproportioued, acid o'r alkali may be added to neutralize the mixture.

The action B, includes but one step, that is the precipitation of the vanadium by means of copper to obtain an insoluble copper vanadate which is subsequently se arated by filtration from the alkali and ot er impurities which remain in solution.

The final action B in my process is accomplished b adding to the neutral solution, co per su fate or any salt of copper (or any ot er metal) which produces a copper vanadate which, being insoluble in water, is easily filtered and washed while the residuant solution being free from copper, may be used in the place of Water in the water leach c1, sothat any vanadium left therein by reason of the precipitation process not havin been complete, may be recovered.

As ias been mentioned hereinbefore, the only difference between the process above described and that for the production of insoluble iron or lead vanadates resides in the substitution for the copper, in the precipitation step B, of iron or lead or for the copper sulfate or salts of copper, iron or lead sulfate or salts of iron or of lead.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1`. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores consistin in extract' the vanadium constituents o the ore, by so ution and precipitating the vanadium in said solution wit a salt of therespective metal.

2. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores consisting in roas the vanadiferous ores with a linx ada to render the vanadium constituents solu le after roasting, leaching the roasted product, neutralizing the solution and precipitating the vanadium in the solution with a salt of the respective metal.

3. The process of producing metallic vanadatc from vanadiferous ores, consistin in roasting the Avanadiferous ores with so ium chlorid and a fixed alkali, leaching the roasted roduet, to obtain a vanadium solution andp precipitating the vanadium in the solution with a salt of the res ect-ive metal.

4. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores, consistinv -in roasting the vanadiferous ores with. sodium clilorid and' potassium h droxid, leaching the roasted product, to o tain a vanadium solution andprecipitating the vanadium in the solution with a salt of the respectivo metal.

5. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores, consisting in roastinthe vanadiferous ores with a flux adapte to render the vanadium constituents soluble after roasting, leaching the roasted -roduct in water, leaching the residueof e last named step with acid, neutralizing the solutions and precipitating the vanadium in the neutral solution with a salt of the respective metal.

6. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores, consisting in roastin the vanadiferous ores with a ux adapte torender the vanadium constituents soluble after roasting, leaching the roasted roduct in Water, leaching the residue of t e last named step with acid, mixing the solutions t o produce a neutral solution, and precipitating the vanadium in the neutral solution with a salt of the respective metal.

7. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores consisting in roastin the vanadiferous ores with a ilus adapte to render the vanadium constituents thereof soluble after roasting, leaching the roasted product t obtain a vanadium solution and precipitating the vanadium in the solution with a salt of the respective metal.

8. The process of producing metallic vanadate from vanadiferous ores, consisting in roastin the vanadiferous ores with a flux adapte to render the vanadium constituents thereof soluble after roasting,V leaching the roasted dproduct to obtain a vanadium solution, an precipitating the vanadium in the solution with a salt of the respective metal.

In testimony whereof I have' ailixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN F. BLEECKER.

Witnesses:

i M. L. Gnanv,

G. J. RoLLANDn'r. 

